Car-coupling



` (No Model.)

I UW" "l A. WMGKBNZIB.

GAR GUPLING.

' *Patented-Apr., 16. 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN lV. MCKENZIE, OF HELENA, VISONSIN. n

CAR-COUPLINE.

SPECIFICATION forining part f Letters Patent No. 401,710, dated April 16, 1889. Application filed April 16, 1888. Serial No. 270,883. (No model.)

To @YZ whom t may concern:

' Be it known that I, ALLEN lV. MOKENZIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Helena, in the county of lowa and State of 'lVisconsirn have invented a new and useful link-couplin g wi thout necessitating the brakenien or operators taking hold of and guiding' the link with their hands; second, to afford facilities for properly adjusting and guiding the link, instead of taking hold of the same with the hand; third, to enable railroad ein'- ploys tosave time by making sure couplings; fourth,to enable the brakemen to couple cars having link-couplings without imperiling or being in the least possible danger of injuring or smashing their hands. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view ofthe coupling device as it appears when attached to the draft-iron and swung up to a horizontal position by the operator when guiding the link; it hangs down at about right angles, or dotted line N, when not in use. Fig. 2 is the coupler as it appears when detached from attachin g-stri p and draft-iron. Fig. is the attaching-stri p having a bearing at one end for attaching' to coupling device, Fig. a showing coupling device when inade in one continuous piece, with the exception of the horizontal link-guiding cross-bar or handles K K; Fig. 5, a view of a swinging yoke for attaching coupling device to the wood-work. or frame of the car. Figs. 2, 4, and G show three of the several different ways in which the safety-coupler may be made.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The safety-coupler A may be attached to draft-iron H by means of the metal strip B, which is bolted to the under side of said draftiron, as shown in Fig. l.

The safety-coupler A may be attached. to

the wood-work or traine of any car by means of the yoke or swing C, (shown in Fig. 5,) and is so attached by passingthe looped ends D D up from below, one each side of the draftiron, and fastening thein to the wood-work of the car by means of eyelet-bolts or woodscrews.

rlhe safety-coupler A, made as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, may be attached to yoke or swing C by bending the end E or ends E E around said yoke, as shown in Fig. 5, the ends to be left loose enough to allow them to work. like a hinge, which will give the safety-coupler A and yoke C a double hinged action when attached to the car. The draft-irons on all cars have a few inches play, or will inove to and from the end of the car a short distance and will stay where left, and with the yoke or swing C attachment the operator is enabled to adjust the coupler A to the different distances the end of the draft-iron may be from the end of the car. The coupler A hangs down in under the draft-iron H at about right angles with the lower side or bot-tom, similar to the dotted line N, when not in use.

The operator when using said couplerAtakes hold of one of thehandles K K and swings the coupler outward and upward until it comes in. contact with and raises the'couplinglinkS to a sufficient height to enter it into an opposite d raft-iron. Then the link enters an. opposite or an approaching draft-iron, the coupling device A is forced down ironi between the draft-irons by the opposite one coming in contact with the slanting or sloping outward end or part, R, and above the point F, said point being of a sufficient length to always project below the lowest part of an opposite draft-iron. lVhen of a suiiicient length it is impossible for the coupling device A to get bent or broken by being caught between the draft-irons. Then the operator is making a coupling, the horizontal lin k-guide, crossbar, or handles K K is attached to the bent part of coupling device A on top or justunder the knees or elevated parts V V, or part V, 'as it appears in views Figs. l, 2, 4f, and G, with bolts, rivets, or anysuitable way.

The knees V V, just referred to, of coupling device A should be of sufficient height or IOO length to raise the coupling-link S as high as the draft-iron or coupling to which it is attached will allow said coupling-link to rise.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. 'lhe combination, in a car-coupling device, of a hinged swinging device or coupler, A, having a deiiecting` point o1 outward end, R, horizontal link-rest and handles K K, and attaching-strip B, substantially as shown and described, and for the use and purpose specilied.

2. The combination, in a car-coupling device, of a hinged swinging device o1l coupler, A, having a deecting point or outward end, R, horizontal link-rest and handles K K, and the attaching` yoke or swing C, substantially as shown and described, and for the use and purpose specified.

ALLEN lV. MCKENZIE.

\Vitnesses:

T. HEALEY, C. A. MCKENZIE. 

